makeup

I have struggled with acne for years and when I got to college, it got progressively worse. The acne was mostly concentrated on in my cheeks, forehead and back. I turned to caking on makeup because my face was broken out, I could never wear the cute tops I wanted to because my back was broken out, and I just did not feel good about myself.

I had been seeing a dermatologist since I was in high school and when I tell you I’ve tried everything — I really have. Creams, antibiotics, face washes, gels literally all of it. But nothing really worked for me. I was finally so fed up which is why I decided to bite the bullet and go on Accutane. While I will say some of the side effects can seem scary, I was at the point where I would have done anything for clear skin.

I’ll jump into how my process worked for those of you wondering. There is a once a month blood test you have to get done (I am so scared of needles, but by month three I was fine. I just can’t look lol) as well as a dermatologist appointment to check in. In order to get your prescription filled each month, you have to go online and answer questions (from the iPledge program.. they were mostly about birth control and such). My prescription was from a remote pharmacy and was always overnighted to me so I was never without medicine.

Accutane does take a while to see results. Your skin may take awhile to adjust and react to the medicine, like mine did. I really did not see my skin starting to clear up until around September (month 5) and my back did not get clear until this month really (month 8). I have been taking this medicine since May and I’ve been on around 40 mg since month two. Everyone’s skin reacts differently so there is no for sure guarantee it’ll work in x amount of time or even work at all. I’ve known people who have done multiple rounds of Accutane, and some who have done 5 months and been done. Thankfully my 8 month run was enough to finally GET MY SKIN CLEAR.

The side effects came and went. In my first few months, I experienced back pain (I had always had a small lower back curve so this was nothing out the ordinary) that was worse then normal. Since I started during the summer, my lips were super dry too due to the heat. I pretty much had to change my entire skincare routine to cater to my now drier skin. Before the medicine, I had the freaking oiliest skin in the world. Like I could use two-three oil wipes midday on my face. It was seriously so gross. My hair.. oh, my hair! I think that was my favorite thing about being on this medicine. It essentially stops your skins oil production so my hair wouldn’t get oily for at least 4-5 days. Right now, after 8 months of Accutane, I could probably get away with washing it once a week. That’s been a plus for me.

Skincare routine

My skincare routine has drastically changed since I’ve started Accutane. I’ve simplified everything and just let the medicine do it’s job. Before I was doing four and five steps including cleasner, toner, acne cream and moisturizer. Now I am down to three at max — it’s seriously the best thing to happen to a lazy girl like me.

Philosophy purity made simple face wash // My absolute favorite face wash on and off Accutane. I’ve been using this one for around 6 years now and I have nothing but rave reviews to give! It’s really hydrating with it’s silky creamy texture and also great to use as makeup remover too if you’re in a hurrry. With my Clarisonic and this — my skin feels AMAZING.

First aid beauty ultra repair cream // I stumbled upon this at Ulta this past summer and I figured I would give it a try since it’s reviews were pretty good. I just bought my second tub and I am head over heels for it. I use it as my body moisteriser too and it’s a nice unscented lotion that actually keeps my skin hydrated.

Clairisonic Mia 1//My tried and true. I’ve had the same one since freshman year of high school (6 years) and it’s still goin so strong. I used to use it everyday, but now that my skin is drier and I’ve gotten a lot lazier (lol) I use it every once in a while to get a goood deep clean. The brush head I’ve found works best for me is the acne one! I would recommend, despite the hefty price tag! I can honestly say I feel the difference when I use it and when I don’t.

Mario Badescu rose water toner spray //This is something I use here and there, but especially when my skin is tired and needs a lil boost. I like it if I haven’t washed my face in the morning to put on before makeup. I’ve also seen some people use it as setting spray — I need to test that theory out!!

Garnier micellular water //One of my favorite beauty finds of 2017 hands down. One cotton bad and squirt of this and I am clean and makeup free. Makeup wipes are so expensive but this is cheaper and lasts way longer! I also find it’s bit more gentle on my skin and sensitive eye area. I could easily use this at night and be fine without moisturizer for the day too!

Blistex lip medex // I swear by this stuff. Ugh omg I could go on about how moisturizing this is and how it literally SAVES my peeling, cracked dry lips every time. It’s also got a cooling feeling too that I love. No need to spend the big bucks on lip balm when you can have it all for under $4 with this guy!

Makeup favorites (full coverage)

Some of my makeup favorites changed too! I ended up needing A LOT more coverage the first three months so I was experimenting with foundation and concealer like crazy!

Benefit boing concealer //I found that using this under my foundation helped. The first few months were hard with lots of breakouts on my cheeks, but this def has the coverage I needed! The color I have is light.

Two faced born this way foundation //This was the FULL coverage foundation I used when I first started Accuatne. It was awesome for pretty much making me look acne-less. I did have to use a bit of concealer with it since my acne/scaring was severe. The finish was pretty natural looking and I would spritz it with my Mario Badescu rose water toner to make it a bit more dewy looking. Once my skin got clearer, I didn’t find the need for it anymore.

Maybelline fit me foundation //This is was I use currently, as I am wrapping up Accutane. I think this foundation is a fantastic drugstore buy. I have used high end foundations for the past 5 or 6 years, and I honestly think this one revels a few. It runs about $9 and the coverage is pretty solid (more light to medium). I can layer it up if I need to though so that is a plus!

Has anyone else done Accutane or is interested in doing it? I would love to chat about it if y’all have any questions. I know it’s really not a medicine that is for everyone but for me it was exactly what I needed to get my skin clear. It might sound superficial but I really do feel so much more confident with my clear skin. It was something that had always made me feel self conscious. After years of dealing with acne (I seriously would not wish that upon anyone) I can say I am finally FREEE! Ugh, how liberating.

Hey hey, happy August! I’m headed back to school this month and I can’t say I’m mad about it. I absolutely adore being on a set schedule so I’m so pumped to get back into the swing of things! Before I jump into August, I’ll recap my month of July for y’all.

When you’re home and have to make your parents take your insta pics for you >>> It makes me chuckle asking them, but hey #doitforthegram right? This sweater arrived right in time for the fourth (after I had been lusting after it for about 2 months) so of course I had to wear it for two days straight. It’s really comfy and I love it with jean shorts, but I’m sure y’all can catch me styling it in the fall with some flares.

LGIP turned two this July! I wrote an ode to my trials and tribulations over these past two years. Read it here. But on the real y’all, it’s been rough keeping up with everything but I am proud of myself for somehow managing?

When it’s your besties birthday, ya gotta celebrate like there’s no tomorrow. We hosted a lil party in honor of Cara at our apartment and of course I took it upon myself to decorate (Photo Booth and all). Man do I have so much fun getting dressed up and going out with my friends! Anyone with me on this?

So I was bad a few times this month (I’m talking to you ice cream, cookies, and trail mix with 50000 M&Ms in it) but this time was soooooo worth it. Pinkberry dates when I’m home are a must.

Just checking in to say I’m still obsessed with this t-shirt. Yes, you’re reading it correctly, it does say FRIES. And it’s stinking comfy. No shame here. You can 100 percent catch me wearing this one every chance I get.

When I have the chance to head to NOLA to see my bestie, I gotta take it! It had literally been forever since we had been able to see each other so we had the best time catching up and gossiping (as always) :-)

Our family beach trip this year was this week/last weekend but sadly I could only stay for two days. I was in my happy place sitting on the beach reading a nice book. This one piece is so fun and I love wearing it whenever I get the chance (which is rare).

Happy July pals! I took a quick break last week due to a lack of sleep and inspiration. I thought I’d get back into the swing of things with a little recap of June.

Brunch babes. Maria and I had a fabulous brunch with her family at Galatoire’s in BR. I got the eggs Benedict…. sooo yum. My set is from Free People (I’ve talked about it a few times on the blog before and its now ON SALE for $40 from Nordstrom Rack) and I love pairing it with these platforms.

Ok y’all, so there’s this new poke place in BR and it’s totally amazing. I’ve been twice in the past two weeks!! This poke bowl was called wild salmon and it was topped with mangos, avocados, cucumbers, and some sort of special sauce.

So my MuMu obsession has gone full blown crazy this month. I’ve been scouring the sales and have even managed to score a few items. My white jeans and TKEEs have been among other necessities for me this month. You can get my outfit details in this post.

My cousin’s engagement party was this month and for me, it was a chance to get dressed up and hang with some family! I wore this two piece set with my fave platforms (again).

Hey pals! I’m back this week with a shopping round-up. I’ve been on a real shopping kick this month. Ooops. So I thought I would go through my most recent purchases. Let’s get into it…

blush set

I picked up this blush set at the beginning of the month for my cousin’s engagement party. I’ve been on a set kick this spring/summer. I just love the versatility of them — it’s like you get three outfits for the price of one (heck yeah)! The set is so cute together but to wear as separates I would probs do the shorts with a white tank and the top with jeans.

I would recommend sizing up in the shorts (they’re a little short). But the top ran true to size.

marc fisher “randall”

I talked about these babies in my last post a little bit. Since then I’ve worn them to work (twice) which is a huge deal for me considering I’m on my feet for 8 hours. They were surprisingly comfy. I know the hefty price tag is a huuuuge hurdle to jump over, but take it from a college gal, finding a wedge that’s cute AND comfortable… priceless.

blue layered tassel earrings

It’s no surprise I am a super fan for statement earrings. When one of my favorite bloggers posted about these I ordered them right away lol :-) The blue is really cute with white tops and I think I’ll get a lot of use out of these babies considering my wardrobe is literally all neutral. I’m linking some other options I love below.

boohoo shorts

If y’all don’t remember from my Life Lately May post, I literally have one pair of jean shorts to my name. So I thought it was prob time to pick up another pair. I grabbed these from boohoo for $15 (crazy right).

The sizing was super weird and I actually had to send my first pair back to get another size. I ended up with a size 8 and I’m normally a size 2. They’re tight around my legs and honestly hard to get on but sending them back again just wasn’t worth it. Hoping I can break them in and make them more comfy?

j slides sneakers

These just came in the mail today so wheee! I’ve been so in love with these sneakers since I saw someone wear them last fall. I found them on sale at Nordstrom during their 40% sale and I didn’t buy them then because I literally had $70 to my name. Turns out they marked them down further (after I got paid lol) to $69 so I grabbed the black!

The size 8 was sold out, so I got an 8.5. I’m normally between sizes (but mostly 8).

quay sunglasses

Branching out from my usual Ray Ban aviators was so hard for me (I’m a creature of habit). I picked up these QUAY sunnies just to have a cheaper, fun pair for football season (I lost a pair of Ray Bans last year RIP). The blue mirror is super fun and I love how big they are. Hopefully I’ll be able to convince myself to wear them more? Lol.

gold tkees

I am a self-proclaimed TKEE-a-haulic. These are the shoes I wear to work everyday because they are so dang comfy. I talk about them all the time because I just can’t get over it. The color options are endless. I’m already two pairs in, and I’ve got my eye on a gloss pair for my next purchase.

Hey ma ladies. How’s this week treating’ ya so far? I know I am just getting started lol. After an extremely hectic Monday, I was able to have a chillish Tuesday and now it’s hump day so things are picking back up. I got to thinking about this week’s post- scrolling through my instagram feed, reading my favorite blogs- and it came to me… a shopping roundup?! I’ve been doing a lot of shopping lately. I’m not sure what it is… I’m just in a spending mood which my bank account is not thanking me for. Good thing payday is coming up this week (thank you, thank you)!! Well, without further ado, let’s get into it…

bauble bar tassel earrings

Statement earrings are definitely here to stay this spring. I recently picked up this pair from Hemline (shouts!!) and I am in love. Often times, I find myself wearing a simple outfit so some fun earrings like these will dress it up! I’m linking some other earrings I’m lusting for below.

pink ray ban aviators

Y’all know my undying loyalty to the Ray Ban aviator, so when I shattered a lens over Mardi Gras break I needed to replace the pair asap. Luckily, my roommate had a pair she was wanting to get rid of. They’re a pink lens with a gold frame and different from anything I’d seen before! I styled them in my last post and they honestly made me feel like Hyde lol.

steve madden platform espadrille sneaker

If you follow me on Instagram, you would know that I have been on a sneaker kick!! Every time I get ready for work, I reach for them. They literally go with everything in my closet, I swear. I’ve paired them with a fringe top and skirt, denim dress, chambray shirt and black shorts… the options are endless.

two faced born this way

I was in the market for a new foundation, so I ran over to Sephora last weekend. With some coaxing, I settled upon the Two Faced Born This Way foundation. It’s oil-free, medium coverage, and good for combination skin, which is what I’m about to have since I’m starting Accutane in a month or two (wheee!!). So far, so good.

benefit hoola

In the height of my makeup obsession stage (sophomore year of high school), I used this stuff religiously. The shade is perfect for my coloring anytime of year and I always have great experiences with Benefit products. When the mini size caught my eye; I knew I needed to go back to it!

philosophy purity made simple

I go back to this cleanser time and time again. I think this is my fourth bottle #noshameintherepurchasegame so if that tells ya anything.. I use my Clarisonic Mia (which is a literal dinosaur) with it and I would recommend to any skin type!!

denim shift dress

Pay day had me feeling on a high for about a week. I ended up scouring Asos and stumbling upon this little number. As a working gal, I am always looking for easy dresses I can wear for work. This one is sooo cute with a sneaker, chunky heel, or even sandal for the spring. It runs true to size. I normally wear a XS-S and went with the XS, which was perf.

fringe top

Refer to my previous post for more on this top, but I am in looovvveeee and I can’t stop talking about it. Fringe is just so fun. It’s a nice change of pace for me with my basic tees and jeans every dang day. The top runs pretty true to size (I got a small for reference). I’m gonna link some more fringe pieces because I feel like spring/summer are the time to rock it!

Is it just me or have any of y’all been on a shopping kick lately? Leave me some comments with some stuff you’ve recently bought!

Honestly surprised I made it to the end of this month (lol). With computer problems out the wahzoo, semi, projects + some family issues – it’s no surprise this month was a rough one. December is here, which means I can finally start decorating for Christmas! But before that, I’ll give y’all a little run down of my November…

Ah, the best way to start the month is with a fresh new monthly view in the agenda. My planner is my literal saving grace. I would be running around like a chicken with my head cut off if it weren’t for it.

Who’s fun + brunette? That’s me! This MuMu tee has easily become a throw on and go for the month. Jeans, skirts, leggings – you name it, I’ve worn it with this shirt. MuMu has a fantastic line of graphic tees, but they can be pricey so if you’re looking into one, I would recommend getting something you’ll be able to re wear time + time again.

some mu for you

Football season has come to a close this month. I have to say, I am really going to miss heading over to Tiger Stadium to cheer on my boys. Picking out an outfit every weekend – that’s something I won’t miss. There’s a first time for everything + this was mine with the jersey. Let’s just say I looked more sporty than I am.

Back and better than ever! Serving on exec has been one of my best memories in Alpha Phi. This year I have been elected to be our VP of Chapter Operations. With our brand new home, there is so much to be done (we are still getting the hang of things over here). I am looking forward to working with my girls to have a year to remember!

Catherine (my sweet roomie + bff) turned 20 this month! The weekend was jam-packed. Semi took place Friday night + following that was the Alabama game. I snagged these gold foil balloons from Amazon for $5 each (talk about a bargain)! Her little gift from moi included, a sweet note (feat Harry Styles), kit kats, a choker, and a framed picture of us.

Semi was where it was at!! I can’t even begin to describe how much fun we all had! The night started hectically (what’s new), but once we got to the venue all was well. Bag of Donuts was our entertainment + I swear to you, they are one of the best cover bands of all time! Shout out to my best friend Brooks for tagging along with me ;-)

Alpha Phi took us to the Pelicans game + boy was it fun! Not only did I spend $16 on food, ride a bus from BR to NOLA for 3 hours, but I also got to go on the court + snap some pictures! My outfit was a total seventies vibe from the flares to the bodysuit to the hoops.

70s fever

A successful friendsgiving was had! We chowed on some delicious food + caught up like old times. Seeing my high school friends is one of the best parts about going home. Did I mention how freaking cute our little photo shoot turned out?

Thanksgiving this year was quite an odd one. I was all over the place (NOLA, Mandeville, BR) + didn’t get much of a break. Louisiana weather still has not cooled down enough for a jeans, boots, and sweater look so I opted for a sweater + skirt combo.

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My music favorites for this month:

Love on the weekend by John Mayer

Blue ain’t your color by Keith Urban

Make your mind up by Moon Taxi

The chain by Fleetwood Mac

My beauty favorites for this month:

My daily routine for work has been pretty simple. CC cream, blush, brows, and then mascara.

So I’ve been working a research paper for my stage makeup class + I have to say it’s honestly the most fun paper I’ve ever written. The 1920s are such an intriguing time and so much action was happening in the world and the cosmetic industry. I’ve been doing loads of research and that may or may not have included a trip to my favorite destination, Barnes and Noble… #oops

I’ve been on the hunt for a job for as long as I can remember (honestly about 4 months y’all… this ain’t no joke). But…. I’m over the moon to announce I’ve finally got one!! Come visit me at Hemline Towne Center! Working for Hemline is something that I believe will really help me with my future career in the fashion industry so I cannot wait to start getting into the swing of things!

My #OOTD post this month featured this adorable (and affordable) tunic sweater. I paired it with some jeans + lace up chunky heels to dress it up. The perfect fall outfit!! Now if I could just get some cooler weather down here…

Alpha Phi had our family weekend when we played Southern Miss so naturally my family came down to see me. Spending some much-needed time with them was just what I needed to finish this semester strong! Shouts to them for coming tailgating on the Parade Grounds with me! #myparentsarecoolerthanme

Another family day picture of my #girlgang. I love these ladies with all my heart! They make life so much more lively!!

My monthly dose of inspiration comes from this ole thing. Thank you Vogue. Lupita is slaying as always!

FIRST PLACE NEVER FELT SO GOOD! Alpha Phi placed first place this year in our homecoming structures!!! They were Duck Dynasty themed and turned out so great! Peep me and Leonard (with the Duck Dynasty beard)!

Our fall philanthropy event, Alpha Phifa, which is a soccer tournament with the fraternities was a #success! The team I was coaching won the whole thing so you could say I was proud :-)

In honor of my favorite trend for fall, I took it upon myself to set out on a mission: find the best fall lip products for under $20. I’d like to think I’m somewhat of a lipstick connoisseur. Not as knowledgeable as those who know every single shade to ever come out of the hands of Nars, Annatasia Beverly Hills or Bobbi Brown — but one of those who has about 11 different lip products in my arsenal. Knowing a thing or two about lipstick, I rummaged though the internet and complied this list… Here we go!

THE BREAKDOWN

Matte is all the rage this year + I have to say I was super reluctant to jump on the bandwagon but I did it. A matte nude lip is perfect for any outfit, casual or dressy. This liquid lipstick comes in at $18, so it is on the pricey side, but it won’t break the bank.

I’ve talked about this one probably 5000 times, but it’s just because I love it. When you first put it on, it’s a deep purply-looking red but then as it wears off and leaves the stain it becomes a hot pink color. Formals, weddings, or a night out are my favorite places to wear this one!

The most easy to wear color there is. Pair it with anything + it’ll go perfect. I just found out today that this specific color is discontinued, but I would recommend any color Revlon lip butter, especially the color Juicy Papaya.

Here’s a great statement fall color that is easy to wear too! Great for casual outings, but I feel like I could wear this one for a dressy occasion as well. Clique lipsticks are the bomb, so check this out